Michel Tournier Criticism
Michel Tournier's literary oeuvre is a focal point of critical scholarship, weaving together mythic structures, symbolism, and rich thematic depth. His work, characterized by its visionary nature, often evokes divided critical opinions, ranging from accusations of moral perversity to praise for his imaginative narratives. Tournier's contributions to children's literature are generally celebrated for their ability to impart human values and preserve a sense of wonder. Distinguished from his adult fiction, these stories promote peace and order, as explored by Susan Petit. Despite the provocative themes in his adult novels, his writing style attracts admiration, a sentiment echoed by Joseph H. McMahon.
Tournier’s acclaimed novel Friday, which is a reinterpretation of Robinson Crusoe, exemplifies his engagement with Freudian and Jungian theories to explore themes of isolation and civilization. These complex themes are analyzed by Thomas J. Fleming. In works like The Erl-King, he adeptly intertwines personal fate with historical events, particularly those set against the Nazi regime, creating haunting narratives that continue to captivate readers and critics alike. His novel Gemini displays his speculative literary style but has faced critique for its philosophical ambition and narrative complexity, as discussed by The New Yorker and Alan Hollinghurst. Tournier's works remain a significant subject of literary study, offering a rich tapestry for analysis and discussion.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Tournier, Michel (Vol. 95)
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The Spiritual Order of Michel Tournier
(summary)
In the following essay, Cloonan traces Tournier's religious development through the characters in his first four published novels.
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Michel Tournier's Texts for Children
(summary)
In the following essay, McMahon examines the themes of Tournier's novels for children and discusses their differences from his adult works.
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An Interview with Michel Tournier
(summary)
In the following interview, Tournier and Daly discuss the thematic elements and philosophical influences in Tournier's work, particularly focusing on his novel Gaspard, Melchior et Balthazar, and explore how myth functions in both his narratives and broader twentieth-century literature.
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Michel Tournier
(summary)
In the following essay, he presents an overview of Tournier's life and career and discusses The Wind Spirit, Gilles & Jeanne, and The Golden Droplet.
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Story as Therapy
(summary)
In the following review, Sheringham examines three works by Tournier—The Wind Spirit, Le Tabor et le Sinaï, and Le Médianoche amoureux—and two books about his work, Colin Davis's Michel Tournier: Philosophy and Fiction and Françoise Merllié's Michel Tournier.
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Psychological, Sensual, and Religious Initiation in Tournier's Pierrot ou les secrets de la nuit
(summary)
In the following essay, Petit surveys the themes and techniques used by Tournier in his literature for children.
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Happiness and the Daily Round
(summary)
In the following, she unfavorably reviews The Midnight Love Feast, discussing the themes of silence and communication in relationships, and how literature serves as a panacea for couples in distress.
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Initation and Counter-Initiation: Progress Toward Adulthood in the Stories of Michel Tournier
(summary)
In the following essay, Easterlin discusses and praises Tournier's technique of initiating the protagonists of his children's stories—and his young readers—into adulthood.
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Tournier's Ultimate Perversion: The Historical Manipulation of Gilles et Jeanne
(summary)
In the following essay, Levy discusses Tournier's alteration of historical fact in Gilles et Jeanne, comparing the novel's portrayal of the main characters with scholarly accounts of the historical figures upon which they are based.
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The Spiritual Order of Michel Tournier
(summary)
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Tournier, Michel (Vol. 23)
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A New Man and a New Vision
(summary)
In the following essay, Thomas J. Fleming examines Michel Tournier's "Friday (Vendredi)" and highlights its exploration of the modern soul through a retelling of "Robinson Crusoe," emphasizing the transformation of Crusoe's character and the philosophical themes of isolation, civilization, and self-discovery.
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Creative Works: 'Le vent paraclet'
(summary)
In the following essay, Joseph H. McMahon critically examines Michel Tournier's Le Vent Paraclet, highlighting the inconsistencies and provocations within the work, and argues that while it reveals Tournier's intentions, it ultimately lacks a coherent foundation, inviting readers to interpret and reconstruct the author's ideas themselves.
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Charmingly Unpleasant
(summary)
In the following essay, Barbara Wright explores the unsettling themes of Michel Tournier's Le Coq de bruyère and compares them to his novel The Erl-King, highlighting his engagement with dark, malevolent forces and the disturbing depiction of death and boredom in his stories.
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French: 'Le coq de bruyere'
(summary)
In the following essay, Danièle McDowell examines Michel Tournier's Le Coq de bruyère, highlighting its symbolic parables and fairy tales that explore themes of maturation, nostalgia for childhood, and a mystical connection to a pre-Christian cultural purity, rendering a poetic view of reality beyond conventional realism.
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Textbooks and Methodology: 'Le coq de bruyère'
(summary)
In the following essay, Joseph H. McMahon critiques Michel Tournier's work in Le Coq de bruyère, questioning the author's ability to provide conceptual coherence and suggesting that his writing increasingly resembles a trivial amusement rather than serious literature.
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We Four Kings …
(summary)
In the following essay, John Sturrock examines how Michel Tournier's Gaspard, Melchior & Balthazar transforms the biblical story of the Magi into a rich, multifaceted narrative exploring themes of exile, mythology, and Christian promise, depicting each Wise Man's unique journey and adding a captivating fourth tale from Eastern tradition.
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Fiction: 'Gemini'
(summary)
The essay critiques Michel Tournier's novel Gemini, highlighting its focus on themes of mirror imagery and narcissism, but argues that the novel's characters become mere vehicles for the author's idiosyncratic views, potentially alienating readers who do not share them.
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The Stuff of Marvels
(summary)
In the following essay, Salman Rushdie argues that Michel Tournier's "Gemini" is a novel of remarkable intelligence and originality, using the theme of twinship to explore complex dualities and theological ideas, demonstrating Tournier's ability to transform mundane concepts into profound literary marvels.
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Castor and Bollocks
(summary)
In the following essay, John Weightman critically examines Michel Tournier's "Gemini" as a phenomenological fantasy interweaving themes of cosmic significance, human consciousness, and sexuality, questioning its coherence as an artistic whole while highlighting the compelling narrative of Alexandre and the unique portrayal of twinship and sexuality.
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Piercing the Many-Coloured Cloak
(summary)
In the following essay, Galen Strawson critiques Michel Tournier's Gemini for its excessive length and narrative incoherence but praises Tournier's ability to weave complex ideas into fiction, highlighting his skill in creating characters who live through ideas and his unique portrayal of the realm of ideas as an epic, objective geography.
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Jean-Paul: 'Gemini'
(summary)
In the following essay, Alan Hollinghurst critiques Michel Tournier's novel Gemini for its indulgent style and philosophical overextension, arguing that while it ambitiously explores themes of identity and twinship, its lack of character development and reliance on repetitive ideas diminishes its psychological and narrative impact.
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'Gaspard, Melchior & Balthazar'
(summary)
In the following essay, Stephen Smith contends that Michel Tournier's novel Gaspard, Melchior & Balthazar functions as a collection of interrelated short stories, characterized by its technical prowess, imaginative narratives, and a playful yet respectful engagement with Christian themes.
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Electric Rubens
(summary)
In the following essay, Angela Huth critiques Michel Tournier's novel Gemini as an unwieldy and pretentious work, arguing that its central love story of identical twins is overshadowed by captivating yet grotesque descriptions of garbage and that the novel ultimately fails to sustain its initial intrigue.
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A New Man and a New Vision
(summary)
- Tournier, Michel (Vol. 6)
- Further Reading